Dremel Idea Builder 3D Printer Review

A 3D printer transforms your imagination into the real thing. For years, 3D objects remain digital. With 3D printer, you can transform them into touchable objects. The technology was firstly introduced less than a decade ago, but the development was so massive and rapid that today, 3D printers that offer superb performance and accuracy are already available in the market.

The price of some 3D printer models is also so cheap that you can actually buy an entry-level 3D printer for less than $200. However, if you are looking for a truly excellent performer, you need to dig in your wallet a little deeper. There are professional-grade 3D printers that cost grands of dollars, but you don’t actually need to spend that much money to get a reliable 3D printer. With a budget that is under $1000, you can actually get a 3D printer that serves you with excellence.

The 3D printer that we review here, Dremel Idea Builder, is one of the best 3D printers for the price. They are not too expensive to buy (not too cheap as well), but their performance and accuracy in performing every 3D printing job are admirable.

About Dremel Idea Builder

Dremel might not be a very familiar name for most customers, but if you know that Bosch is behind the creation of Dremel 3D printers, you will know that Dremel Idea Builder is not a nonsense. With decades of experience and reputation, Bosch is known for its superior products. When it enters 3D printing industry, its philosophy of excellence is firmly maintained. The Robert Bosch Tool Corporation devotes itself to manufacturing 3D printers that offer excellent quality but still with an accessible price. Dremel Idea Builder 3D printer that you read here incorporates Bosch’s excellence, but its price has been pushed down due to its effective reliance on Kickstarter project.

What Is in the Box?

Here are what included in the box when you buy this 3D printer.

The 3D printer unit

Power cable

USB cable

Instruction manual

Quick start guide

1 Dremel filament spool

Spool lock

SD card

Build tape

Object removal tool

Unclog tool

Leveling sheet

Main Features

Dremel Idea Builder 3D printer offers a number of features that make it a unique model. This uniqueness can obviously be advantageous for some people but can also be disadvantageous for others. Let’s take a look what this printer can offer to you.

Instant setup

Dremel Idea Builder is a plug-and-play device that you can immediately use after you unbox it. There is no complicated setup process to deal with. Simply turn it on and install the necessary driver and you are ready to print your 3D model with it.

Dremel’s proprietary architecture and components.

The 3D printer is meant to be used without requiring modifications and calibration. Dremel protects the structure of this 3D printer and guarantees the quality of its components. No additional chore is needed to get this 3D printer to work excellently.

Intuitive touchscreen interface

The 3D printer’s operation has been made simple and intuitive with its touchscreen panel. Anything that you want to do with this 3D printer can be done easily with the built-in touchscreen. Touchscreen technology is considered essential for every next-gen printer, be it 2D or 3D. With touchscreen panel attached to it, this 3D printer will definitely become one of the most convenient 3D printers to use.

Intuitive software

Dremel Idea Builder software is already preloaded when you first use it. Although the software is available when you is connected to the network, there is no unnecessary chore to choose the right application and to customize it. Dremel has already picked the right software for you and the software is actually quite intuitive to use. Even school children can use the software easily.

Low noise

Although this doesn’t mean that the noise level of this machine is zero, this 3D printer is more silent than the majority of 3D printers available on the market. Even during its busiest hours, all that you will hear is a low buzzing sound comparable to that of a fan.

These core features are mostly advantageous for most users, though there are obviously some users who will find them rather disadvantageous. In the pros and cons section of this Dremel Idea Builder review below, you will see whether this 3D printer is suitable for your taste or not.

Dremel Idea Builder Pros and Cons

Dremel Idea Builder offers some core features that can or can’t give significant advantages to you. You will see below whether the features of this 3D printer suit your needs and preferences.

PROS

Dremel Idea Builder is a self-contained 3D printer with closed architecture and instant setup. For beginners, this plug-and-play device is obviously a perfect choice. If you want to put it in a classroom and don’t want anyone to mess up with it, its closed architecture is a guarantee that no one can accidentally perform the wrong customization to this 3D printer.

We can assure in this Dremel Idea Builder review that the printing quality of this 3D printer is beyond compare. Many other 3D printers are plagued with problems like fissures, cracks and printing inaccuracies caused by an even slight mistake in calibration and adjustment. With its closed architecture, this 3D printer offers excellent printing quality guaranteed by its maker.

Excellent and continuous support is provided by the printer’s maker. As they have decided to make the printer’s design and components proprietary, they will be responsible for every anomaly that occurs when the printer is in operation. Whenever you have a problem with Dremel Idea Builder, Dremel’s customer service is ready to provide you with help, though warranty period is limited only to 2 months.

A lot of learning materials are available on Dremel’s online repository. With these materials, this 3D printer can be an excellent choice if you want to use it in educational environments, such as schools and campuses. If you want to use this 3D printer for yourself, the learning materials can get you to be familiar with the machine quickly and easily.

CONS

As a self-contained 3D printer with closed architecture and proprietary components, Dremel Idea Builder is definitely not the right 3D printer for creative users who love to modify their machine and to customize it the way they want. It is still possible to mess up with this machine, but doing so may mean warranty voidance or damage, which is rather difficult or costly to fix because all components are proprietary.

As almost everything, including the PLA that it uses, is proprietary, you will need to spend more money to deal with its maintenance. You need to be more frugal when using up its PLA as buying a new spool can cost you a rather lot of money. Yes, you need to buy a new spool instead of filament because the machine can only use the tiny Dremel’s spool and not the full-sized one. Even after you fork out a sufficiently large sum of money, you will only get a tiny 250g spool that will run out of filament rather quickly.

Dremel Idea Builder software can become problematic if you cannot ensure seamless connection to a network. Most of the time, you have to be online if you want to use the 3D printer’s proprietary software.

This 3D printer is rather lacking in components as it only has one extruder and non-heated bed. The building platform also needs some handling before it can be used properly. You need to level it first to make sure that no problem will occur during the printing process.

Summary Of Dremel Idea Builder 3d Printer Review

Overall

4.2

Design

Tecnology

Build Quality

Price

Summary

We have provided brief yet comprehensive information about Dremel Idea Builder. Overall, this 3D printer is a great printer for people who prefer simple and fast setup and operation. The closed architecture of this 3D printer gives it an impression of completion and makes calibration and additional modifications unnecessary. If you are a teacher who needs a 3D printer that is ready for your students to use with ease, an individual who wants to focus on creating new things instead of getting troubled by your printer’s adjustments, or someone who simply need a simple and easy-to-use 3D printer, this 3D printer is your best choice. On the other hand, if you love messing up with your 3D printer, perhaps because you have previously been working with DIY 3D printers like RepRap’s Prusa i3, you will find this 3D printer a boring and non-flexible printer. There is indeed very little room for you to modify this printer. Its closed architecture obviously limits your chance to customize this 3D printer the way you want. Although minimal opportunity to customize this 3D printer means zero need of tedious chores like calibration, it also means zero chance to unleash the full potential of your 3D printer. If you are a hobbyist who loves to mess up with your printer with unlimited possibilities, you will find Dremel Idea Builder a rather unattractive model.